OTTAWA -- The Ontario government is extending the stay-at-home order for two more weeks, keeping restrictions on interprovincial travel, social gatherings, essential retail and outdoor recreational amenities, including golf courses and tennis courts.

Premier Doug Ford announced the stay-at-home order for Ottawa and all of Ontario will remain in effect until at least June 2. The stay-at-home order that was introduced in April was set to expire on May 20.

"We need to do everything in our power to protect this summer for all Ontarians. My goal is to have the most normal July and August possible," said Ford on Thursday.

"Obviously, that won't mean large sporting events or concerts. But if we manage the next few weeks properly, I believe that we can have things in a very good place this summer. "

Ford said Ontario needs to maintain the stay-at-home order in all public health units two more weeks to continue to limit COVID-19 transmission.

The premier said Ontario should be able to reopen outdoor recreation facilities after June 2.

In a message on Twitter, Ottawa Public Health admitted it's asked a lot of residents during the COVID-19 pandemic, from staying home, online school and getting vaccinated.

"You've delivered. We thank you," said OPH.

"Remember, we're working towards a time when hugs, patios and gatherings can happen again. We're not there and now isn't the time to relax, but we will see that day."

 

BUSINESSES DISAPPOINTED

An Ottawa restaurant owner says the extension of the stay-at-home order is "incredibly disappointing."

"This makes no sense anymore," said Andre Schad, owner of Tavern on the Falls.

"We saw over 100,000 people between our two patios, we did not have a case. I don't know why we would be closed this time around."

Schad says it's been a tough spring for businesses.

"When you're on the small business side of that fence it's decimating…people have cashed out their RRSPs to pay their landlords."

The stay-at-home order is being extended in Ottawa, while non-essential businesses can begin to reopen on Monday in the Outaouais.

"There's so much discrepancy between companies that are allowed to be open and companies that are not whether you're on the Ontario or Quebec side so a lot of people are starting to question do they even know why they're doing what they're doing," said one woman to CTV News Ottawa.

"The mental health of people is certainly a concern, I think we've been locked down too long," said a man.

Here's a look at the stay-at-home restrictions for Ottawa

Gatherings

All events and social gatherings

  • Indoors: not allowed, except with members of your household (or one other household if you live alone)
  • Outside: All outdoor social gatherings and organized public events are prohibited, except with members of the same household or one other person who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of the household

You should only go out for necessities, such as:

  • work, if you can’t do it remotely
  • school
  • groceries
  • pharmacy
  • helping vulnerable people
  • exercise and physical activity

Travel

Travel from Quebec into Ontario is restricted.

Ontario says exemptions will be allowed for specific reasons, including:

  • Going to work
  • Receiving medical care or social services
  • Business transport of goods
  • Exercising Indigenous or treaty rights

The Ottawa Police Service is conducting rotating checkpoints at the five interprovincial bridges between Ottawa and Gatineau.

Religious, wedding and funeral services

Indoors and outdoors: Ontario says capacity for weddings funerals and religious services, rites or ceremonies limited to a maximum of 10 people indoors or outdoors.

Drive-in services will be permitted 

Bars, restaurants and other food and drink establishments  

  • Indoor and outdoor dining is prohibited;
  • Take-out, drive-thru and delivery service available

Essential retail, including grocery stores

Capacity limits reduced to 25 per cent in all retail settings where in-store shopping is permitted. This includes supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, indoor farmers markets, other stores that primarily sell food and pharmacies.

Stores may offer curbside pick-up and delivery

Discount and big box stores 

Discount and big box stores can only open for in-person shopping at a maximum of 25 per cent capacity for:

  • grocery items
  • pet care supplies
  • household cleaning supplies
  • pharmaceutical items
  • health care items
  • personal care items
  • household safety supplies
  • school supplies

Malls and non-essential stores

  • Non-essential retailers may operate for curbside pick-up and delivery between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Delivery of goods to patrons permitted between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
  • Access to shopping malls is limited to specified purposes, including access for curbside pick-up and delivery, via appointment. One single designated location inside the shopping mall must be set-up for pick-up.

Stores at the following Ottawa malls will be open for curbside pickup only:

  • Bayshore Shopping Centre
  • Billings Bridge Shopping Centre
  • Carlingwood Shopping Centre
  • Place d'Orleans
  • Rideau Centre
  • St. Laurent Centre
  • Tanger Outlets

You can visit each mall’s website for more details.

Stores permitted to open

Ontario says the following stores are allowed to operate for in-person retail by appointment only, with a maximum 25 per cent capacity:

  • Safety supply stores
  • Businesses that primarily sell, rent or repair assistive devices, aids or supplies, mobility devices, aids or supplies or medical devices, aids or supplies
  • Rental and leasing services including automobile, commercial and light industrial machinery and equipment rental
  • Optical stores that sell prescription eyewear to the public
  • Businesses that sell motor vehicles, boats and other watercraft
  • Vehicle and equipment repair and essential maintenance and vehicle and equipment rental services
  • Retail stores operated by a telecommunications provider or service, which may only permit members of the public to enter the premises to purchase a cellphone or for repairs or technical support.

Hours of operation are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Delivery allowed between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. 

Garden Centres

Outdoor garden centres, plant nurseries and indoor greenhouses are allowed to open.

Capacity is limited to 25 per cent

Garden centres can open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. only.

LCBO and Beer Store

The LCBO and the Beer Store are allowed to remain open, at a maximum capacity of 25 per cent.

Operating hours between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., with delivery allowed between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Cannabis stores

  • Stores are open for curbside pickup only, by appointment, between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
  • Stores may provide delivery between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

Businesses not permitted to open

  • Personal care services, including hair salons and nail salons
  • Amusement parks, water parks
  • Casinos, bingo halls and gaming establishments
  • Concert venues, theatres and cinemas (includes drive in or drive through events)
  • Day camps
  • Horse racing (open for training only, no races or spectators)
  • Motorsports
  • Museums and cultural amenities
  • Tour and guide services
  • Zoos and aquariums (permitted to operate for the care of animals).

Outdoor amenities

All outdoor recreational amenities such as golf courses, basketball courts and soccer fields, will be closed.

The following outdoor recreational amenities are closed:

All outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields, including:

  • Baseball diamonds,
  • Soccer fields,
  • Frisbee golf locations,
  • Tennis, platform tennis, table tennis and pickleball courts,
  • Basketball courts,
  • BMX parks, and
  • Skate parks.
  • All portions of park and recreational areas containing outdoor fitness equipment.
  • All outdoor picnic sites and picnic tables in park and recreational areas.

The Ontario government says an outdoor recreational amenity that is an off-leash dog area or park bench may be open. Anyone in a park, an off-leash dog area, or using a park bench must maintain a physical distance of at least two metres from any other person who is also using the amenity, other than a person who is a member of the same household, a member of one other household who lives alone or a caregiver for any member of either household.

City of Ottawa services closed during the stay at home order

Ottawa's recreation and cultural facilities will close to the public, including recreation complexes, community centres, arenas, swimming pools, theatres, museums and art galleries

Outdoor refrigerated rinks will close: Rink of Dreams at Ottawa City Hall, Lansdowne Skating Court, Jim Tubman Chevrolet Rink and Ben Franklin Place

City of Ottawa counter services and other in-person service suspended or altered

The City temporarily suspended in-person services, including:

Ottawa City Hall and Ben Franklin Place (101 Centrepointe Drive) Client Service Centres and Building Code Services counters. Client Services Centres will suspend current in-person counter services, which will move to online delivery. Building Code Services will continue to provide courier, curbside, email and telephone alternate service delivery options.

The Provincial Offences Act courthouse, located at 100 Constellation Drive, will remain closed.

The Business Licensing Centre at 735 Industrial Avenue will remain open for drop-off of documents only and clients can call 613-580-2424 ext.12735 or email businesslicensing@ottawa.ca

The city's Central Archives' Reference Room at the James K. Bartleman Centre, located at 100 Tallwood Drive.

Ottawa museums closed during the shutdown and stay-at-home order

  • Canadian War Museum
  • Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
  • Canada Aviation and Space Museum
  • Canada Science and Technology Museum
  • Canadian Museum of Nature
  • The Diefenbunker Museum
  • National Gallery of Canada
  • Ottawa Art Gallery